Antifreezing outlet-valve for tanks.



J. W. WHIPP.

ANTIPREEZING OUTLET VALVE FOR TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1913.

1,095,758, Patented May 5, 1914.

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JOHN W. WHIPP, 0F DECATUR, TEXAS.-

ANTIFREEZING OUTLET-VALVE FOR TANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914.

Application filed February 26, 1913. Serial No. 750,769.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN W. WHirr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Decatur, in the county of l/Vise and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Antifreezing Outlet-Valve for Tanks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In windmill or other outside tanks, such as those used on stock farms, difliculties are experienced in cold weather by the operating means for the outlet valve becoming frozen, so that the valve cannot be opened, the, valve mechanism being commonly of such construction that operating connections lead from the valve in the bottom of the tank upwardly through the water and thence downwardly outside of the tank to a point near the base of the tower, where the valve mechanism can be operated by hand. The ice forming on the surface of the water holds the operating connections of the valve fast, so that the valve cannot be manipulated until after the ice thaws.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a valve-operating mechanism which cannot be rendered inoperative by the ice forming in the tank, and also whereby the valve itself cannot become frozen.

In carrying out the invention an air column or pipe extends upwardly from the outlet valve casing to a point above the top of the tank, and through this pipe extends a rod which carries at its lower end the seating element of the outlet valve and at its upper end an air sealing valve, the valves being so arranged that when one is open the other is closed. When the outlet valve is open water cannot rise in the air column or pipe because the air is sealed therein by the air valve at the top thereof, and as there is no water in contact with the valve rod, ice cannot form around it at the level of the water in the tank and prevent the rod from being operated. An operating lever is mounted at the top of the tank and is connected with the valve rod so as to actuate the same, there being a spring connected with the lever to hold the air sealing valve seated, the lever being operated from the ground by a wire or other element attached to the lever.

For a more complete understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are employed throughout the several views to designate corresponding parts.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of awater tank with my improved anti-freezing outlet valve; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of the device partly in section.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a tank such as used on stock farms, and hence is out in the open weather where the water is liable to freeze, the tank being mounted on a tower or other supporting structure B. WVater is taken from the tank intermittently as needed, and hence a valve mechanism is employed to open or cut off the supply of water. The outlet pipe 1 for the water has at its upper end a laterally-extending portion 2 which carries a valve casing C, which is shown as a T-coupling having a valve seat 2 at its bottom, with which engages a valve- 3. A pipe 5 extends upwardly from the valve casing C and is of such length as to extend out of the top of the tank A, so as to form an air column or chamber. Through this pipe 5 and valve casing extends a rod 6, to which the valve 8 is fastened, and on the upper end of the pipe 5 is attached a bracket 7, on which is fulcrumed at 8 a firstclass lever 9 that operates the valve rod 6. The upper end of the air column or pipe 5 is adapted to be sealed when water is flowing out of the pipe 1, by a valve 10 which is on the upper end of the rod 6 and arranged to engage a seat 11 applied to the upper extremity of the pipe 5. Over this valve 10 is a protecting hood 12 for preventing snow and ice from lodging on the valve 10 and adjacent parts. A yoke 13' is fastened to the rod 6 above the valve 10, and this yoke is pivotally connected at 14 to the lever 9. The lever 9 has connected there with a helical extension spring 15, which is fastened at 16 with the bracket 7, the spring being normally under a tension acting in such a direction as to hold the air sealing valve 10 seated.

Connected with the outer end of the lever is a wire or equivalent device 17 which has at its lower end a handle or grip 18 within reach from the base of the derrick or tower. By pulling downwardly on the grip 18 the lever 19 is tilted to the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 2, and it can be held in this position by engaging with the fixed hook or stop 19 the ring 20 depending from the grip 18. Between the grip 18 and the lower end of the wire is preferably arranged a helical extension spring 21, which exerts a yielding pressure on the valve 3 through the wire 17, lever 9, and the valve rod 6. The valve being thus firmly seated, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, it is impossible for water to rise in the pipe 5, but on the contrary any water therein will drain out of the pipe 1, since the upper end of the pipe 5 is for the time being open, because the valve 10 became unseated upon the closing of the valve 3. When it is desired to open the flow of water from the tank the wire 17 is loosened by detaching the rin 20 from the hook 19, and thereupon the spring 15 contracts, throwing the lever 9 from the dotted to the full line position, and firmly seating the air sealing valve 10 while opening the outlet valve 3. Water now enters the valve casing (I, but does not rise in the pipe 5 because oi the body of air entrapped therein. Because of the air in the pipe 5 there is no danger of the rod being frozen in ice, even though the weather is cold enough to form the surface ice in the water in the tank.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings the advantages of the method of operation and of the apparatus shown will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the ap-, paratns shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may he made when desired as are within the scope of the appended claims,

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of a water tank, an outlet pipe leading from the bottom thereof, an outlet valve controlling the said pipe, a vent pipe connected with the said pipe and leading out of the top of the tank, a valve for the upper end of the vent pipe, a rod connecting the valves together in such relalion that one valve is open while the other valve is closed, a support on the upper end of the vent pipe, a lever fulcrinned on the support, a connection between the air valve and lever, a hood covering the air valve and the upper end of the vent pipe, a spring attached to the support and to the lever for holding the air valve closed and the outlet valve open, an element connected with the lever for operating the same against the tension of said spring, and fixed means with which the said element is releasahly engaged for holding the lever against the tension of the said spring in a position for maintaining the outlet valve closed and the air valve open.

2. The combination of a water tank, an outlet pipe connected with the bottom there of, a valve controlling the outlet pipe, a vent pipe leading upwardly from the first mentioned pipe, a support fastened to the upper extremity of the vent pipe and extending in opposite directions therefrom, a rod extending through the vent pipe and connected with the said valve, a vent valve on the upper end of the rod for opening the vent pipe when the outlet valve is closed, a lever i'ulcrumcd on one end of the support and having its short arm connected with the said rod, a spring connected with the short arm of the lever and also connected with the said support at the end thereof opposite from that on which the'lever is fulcrumed, and an actuating means connected with the long arm of the lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J OHN lV. \VHIPP.

lVitnesses Ton W. BROWN, G. M. KELLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G. 

